Snap hook



March 24, 1942. c. F.VREYNOLDS SNAP HOOK Filed Nov. 22, 1940 PatentedMar. 24, 1942 SNAP HOOK Charles F. Reynolds, Cleveland, Ohio, assignorto The Eastern Malleable Iron Company, Naugatuck, Conn., a corporationof Connecticut Application November 22, 1940, Serial No. 366,625

Claims.

This invention is for an improvement in snap hooks, and relatesparticularly to an improved construction tending to facilitate themanufacture and assembly of the snap hook as well as to provide a moresatisfactory device.

More particularly this invention pertains to snap hooks of the typewherein there is a tongue which opens outwardly and which is urgedinwardly to a closed position by means of a spring. Snap hooks of thisgeneral character are wellknown in the art. As heretofore constructed,the spring has been formed of round wire. This wire spring is anchoredat one end to the tongue of the snap hook and the other end engages across-bar integrally cast in the body of th hook. These constructionsrequire skillful manipulation in order to quickly assemble them and itrequires special manipulation to get the spring threaded under thecross-bar in the body.

The present invention provides a snap hook in which the tongue isoperated by a flat or ribbonlike torsion spring, the construction beingsuch that the spring can be quickly and easily applied to the tongue andthe spring and thetongue in turn cooperate to hold the spring in aposition such that the free end of the spring can be easily insertedunder the cross-bar with which the spring cooperates.

The invention may be readily understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawing which shows a preferred embodiment of my invention and in whichFigure 1 is a side elevation ofa snap hook embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the snap hook shown in-Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view'of the snap hook;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the tongue and spring assembly; and

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectiofi'in the plane of line V-V ofFigure 4.

In the drawing 2 designates the body of the snap hook. It is providedwith a hook portion 3 and a bifurcated shank portion 4. It is providedwith an eye 5 at the end of the portion 4. The shank portion 4 isbifurcated to provide two spaced apart side portions or cheeks 6.Between these two side portions 6 the body is hollowed out or recessedat I. There is an overhanging lip 8 at the forward end of the recess,and the structure is provided with a transverse bar 9 which extendsacross the recess. The body as thus described is generally formed as anintegral malleable casting with the cross-bar 9 being integrally castwith the rest of the structure.

According to the present invention the tongue, which is designatedgenerally as It, is also an integral structure. It isprovided with amain body portion ll having laterally projecting ribs I2 extending partway along the upper edges thereof to enable the tongue to be easilygrasped. It is provided with an extension l3. Depending from theextension I3 is a thin metal web M which is positioned to one side ofthe central longitudinal plane of the tongue, as most clearly shown inFigure 5. The web I4 is provided with an offset hub portion l5. The hubl5 has a notch or shoulder I 6 formed therein.

Wound about the hub portion I5 and lying entirely within the plane ofthe main body portion ll of the tongue is a torsion spring I! formed ofa thin flat ribbon of'metal. The inner terminal of this spring is bentto form a hook portion Ila which engages the shoulder N5 of the hub. Theopposite end of the spring extends downwardly and forwardly, its extremetip preferably projecting slightly beyond the vertical edge of the freeend of the body of the tongue ID. The bottom edge of thetongue is shapedin such manner as to hold the extreme free end portion of the spring inspaced relation to the bottom tip of the body of the tongue. -This isclearly shown in Figure 4, where the body ll of the tongue is providedonits lower edge with a projection l8 against which thespring bears sothat the tip llb of the spring is spaced a predetermined distance fromthe bottom corner of the tongue.

In assembling the snap hook it is merely necessary to slip the springwhich has been preformed onto the hub IS with the terminal portion Ilaof'the Spring engaging the shoulder IS on the hub and with the free endportion of the spring passing under the projection l8 on the body'of thetongue. With the spring thus assembled on the tongue, the tongue andspring assembly is then applied to the main body of the snap hook. Thetongue is inclined with reference to the snap hook in such manner thatthe free end portion Ilb of the spring may be readily slid under thecross-bar 9 in the body. The tongue is then pushed down into placebetween the two side portions 6 of the body and a pin or rivet I9 ispassed through the body and through the hub l5 of the tongue to therebypivotally secure the tongue in the body.

This completes the assembly of the snap hook. In use the free end of thetongue normally rests on that portion of the body 8 which overhangs thetip llb of the spring. To open the snap the tongue is pulled outwardly,swinging about the pivot l9. Rotation of the tongue in this directioncauses the torsion spring to be wound about the hub [5. When the tongueis released the torsion spring of course serves to immediately restorethe tongue to its normal position.

One advantage of the invention resides in the formation of the tonguewith the web portion [4 and the hub portion I5 with the shoulder i6formed on the hub so as to enable a ribbon-like fiat spring to be used.The shoulder I6 provides an abutment with which thespring cooperates.The thin flat spring possesses greater resilience than the round wiresprings heretofore provided and also has a longer life, especially whenexposed to the elements. The shaping of the lower edge of the bodyportion ll of the tongue in order to hold the tip Nb of the spring inspaced relation to the bottom corner of the body of the tonguesubstantially facilitates the application of the tongue and springassembly to the body of the snap hook. It especially facilitates thepassage of the end of the spring under the crossbar 9.

While I have illustrated and described one particular embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood that various changes and modificationsmay be made therein within the contemplation of my invention and underthe scope of the following claims. It is particularly contemplated thatinstead of the lobe-like projection I8 being formed on the bottom edgeof the body portion 1 I of the tongue some other contour may be employedto secure the same result.

I claim: 1

1. A snap hook of the type having a body and a pivoted tongue which ispulled outwardly to open the snap and which is closed by spring actioncomprising a body having a recess therein, a tongue member received inpart within the recess and pivotally secured to the body member, and aflat convolute torsionspring mounted on the tongue for resilientlyresisting movement of the tongue in a direction to open the snap, saidbody having a transverse portion under which one end of the spring isengaged, the tongue having an abutment against which the other end ofthe spring acts.

2. A snap hook of the type having a body and a pivoted tongue which ispulled outwardly to open the snap and which is closed by spring actioncomprising a body having a hook portion and a shank portion, theshankportion having a recess therein, a tongue member received in part withinthe recess and pivotally secured to the body member, said tonguecooperating with the hook, and a fiat convolute torsion spring mountedon the tongue and engaging the body for resiliently resisting movementof the tongue in a direction to open the snap, the tongue having a webportion of reduced thickness thereon with a hub portion formed on saidweb, the spring being coiled about the hub portion and having its innerend operatively engaging the hub portion, the shank portion of the bodyhaving an abutment under which the other end of the spring extends, thespring being positioned within the plane of the tongue.

3. A snap hook of the type having a body and a pivoted tongue which ispulled outwardly to open the snap and which is closed by spring actioncomprising a hook-shaped body having a recess therein, a cross-barcarried by the body extending across the recess, a tongue memberpositioned in part within the recess and pivotally secured to the body,said tongue member serving to close the hook, and a flat convolutetorsion spring mounted on the tongue having an inner end portion whichengages the tongue for rotating it in a direction to close the hook,said spring having an outer terminal portion which projects under saidcross-bar, the bottom edge of the tongue having an offset formed thereinfor holding the free outer terminal of the spring in spaced relation tothe bottom edge of the tongue.

4. A snap hook of the type having a body and a pivoted tongue which ispulled outwardly to open the snap and-which is closed by spring action,comprising a body member, a tongue member pivotally supported in thebody member, a hub element on the tongue having a shoulder formedthereon, and a ribbon-like flat torsion spring coiled about said hubhaving an inner hooked end portion which engages said shoulder andhaving its outer free end engaging a portion of the body member in suchmanner that rotation of the tongue in a directionto open the snap hookis resiliently resisted by said torsion spring.

5. A snap hook of the type having a body and a pivoted tongue which ispulled outwardly to open the snap and which is closed by spring action,comprising a body member with a hook thereon, a tongue member forcooperation with the hook received within the body member, said tonguemember being provided with a web portion offset from the plane of thelongitudinal center of the tongue, the web being provided with a hubportion, said hub portion having a shoulder thereon, a pin passingthrough the body and through said hub to pivotally secure said tongue inthe body, and a fiat torsion spring encircling the hub having an innerterminal portion which engages the shoulder on said hub and having anouter terminal portion cooperatively engaging a part of the body, thebody-having a transverse portion under which the said outer terminalportion of the spring is engaged, said torsion spring serving toresiliently hold the tongue in a position to close the hook.

CHARLES F. REYNOLDS.

